The Servant of Memories
by FablehavenFunLovin
Summary: When Astrid goes missing and cannot be found, Hiccup spends years searching for her. His travels land him in Skyrim, where he meets up with Cora, a wood elf determined to find her father's killer. Together they plan to find answers. Little to they know, they will soon discover that sometimes, you have to let your past go and welcome the future. *READ ALL BEFORE POSTING A REVIEW!
1. Chapter 1: A Broken Man

Chapter 1: A Broken Man

It had been 4 years since Hiccup's heart had been broken; 4 years since he had unknowingly kissed the love of his life goodbye for the last time. It had been 3 years and 364 days since he first set out to look for her. A simple joy ride on Stormfly over the ocean obviously went badly, and something deep in Hiccup's bones told him that she needed him. The very next day he set out on a quest on the back of his best friend to track down Astrid.

He never found her. Weeks went by at a time without Hiccup returning. When he did, he was most often pale and malnourished with a case of hypothermia, astride an exhausted and equally unhealthy Toothless. Hours after eating a light meal and warming himself with a blanket, he was off into the night sky again. This went on continuously for years, slowly degrading to madness, and the village began to think this would be the death of the future Chief and the dragon that changed Berk forever. Stoik had tried to stop his son, but nothing could hold him back from looking for Astrid. At first, he and her parents were proud of his determination, but as their attitude turned to mourning her loss, Hiccup's became more desperate and angry.

Over the years he had been hardened, physically and emotionally. He came to care about nothing but finding Astrid, not even his own health or the health of his Night Fury. He continuously rejected his friends, family, and the entirety of the village, only staring at a wrinkled picture of his girlfriend he always kept. He also grew. Lack of food paired with hours and hours of dragon riding left him not that much bigger, but far more muscular, lacking so much fat it was borderline unhealthy. He had been living this lifestyle since he was 17, and now that he was 21, he was unrecognizable, but with the same goal. Toothless had aged substantially, looking more worn every time Hiccup briefly returned home. At times, he would simply crash into the main square of the town, fall fast asleep, and not move for hours. Hiccup never seemed like it bothered him, and that is what bothered the rest of the town. He would walk away from his downed dragon like he never cared for him in the first place; like he was nothing more than transportation. Hiccup came down from searching in the polar ice, but the bitter cold stayed in his eyes, and seemed to freeze ever more solid for each day he spent away.

He had mapped places the Vikings had never even knew existed; finding distant islands in the frozen north, and discovering tropical beaches towards the equator. He had met fellow Vikings, discovered hundreds of other dragon species, but never found the woman he was looking for. He was beginning to be named Berk's greatest adventurer, yet he never paid any attention. Astrid was the only thing ever on his mind.

At the moment, he was away from home, traveling over a vast land he had only seen from afar. He had never known the name of this seemingly endless but forested land, and it was even harder to see when it was covered by a moonless black sky. This time, something caught his eye: Civilization. He spotted a small camp complete with a fire and what seemed to be a large man in rags and a woman in armor. There was hope that Astrid could on this island. Something he hadn't felt in a long time lit up his insides, lighting him on fire. He burned in his ears and core, and he felt his heart racing in his chest, thumping swiftly. Tears stung his eyes. For the first time in months, there was hope he would find her.

In the same moment he flew over the camp, he heard them yelling and drawing their swords. That was never a good sign. He quickly turned his dragon around and took out a small blade, whispering for Toothless to get ready with a purple fireball. But before he and the dragon could blow them to fiery pieces, a net sprung from the ground, trapping the Viking and the Night Fury in ropes. Helpless, the pair plummeted to the ground, Toothless wailing in agony. Hiccup very distinctly remembered the ruthless and unforgiving pang of the ground when they hit, and the sound of heavy footfalls coming closer. He let his eyes roll back in his head, just as the duo emerged from the trees, weapons drawn, overlooking their perfect catch.


	2. Chapter 2: Hard as Stone

Chapter 2: Hard as Stone

Hiccup saw her. He saw Astrid running in the familiar field where they had taken their first flight with Toothless. She was smiling, blonde hair swaying down her back and across her perfect pale face. Sunlight shone on her, making her shine with angelic beauty. Her blue eyes were sparkling, tickling him with happiness, love, and excitement. She turned to face Hiccup, who was jogging comfortably behind her. Quickly changing her course, she jumped into a small pond, spraying Hiccup with freezing water.

He jolted awake and became suddenly keen of his surroundings. A man was lowering a bucket to the ground, and Hiccup realized he was soaking wet. A breeze came through the tight walls of the cave, causing the young Viking to shiver. The cold soaked right into his skin. He took in the dingy surroundings of the cave with two cots on the dirt floor, a few candles, but nothing more. The room was almost inhospitable. In an attempt to move, he discovered his hands were bound behind him and to the chair the two had put him in. He struggled against the tight coils, but when it proved to have no avail, he miserably looked up into the eyes of his captors.

"Where's my dragon," he sputtered. It wasn't a question, more of an order. His voice was cold, brutal, and icy, full of determination.

The woman stepped forward just as the man stood back to give her respectful space. She was tall, and strongly built with long blonde hair tied carefully behind her head in a braid. She had a hardened look on her face that was smeared with dirt. She wore leather armor from head to toe, skillfully crafted and tailored specifically for her. She wore a heavy chest piece with extra protection on her shoulders that ran down her upper arm. She wore thick bracers, and a knee length plated skirt. Her boots ran high enough to touch the end of her skirt, and a large metal clasp held together the pieces and made the armor one. Her piercing green eyes dug into his soul. She held a small steel dagger in her left hand and approached the restrained Viking.

"What is your name, young man?" she asked. Her voice was stern, but with a smooth undertone.

"I'm not going to tell you anything until I know where my dragon is," he raised his voice in order to appear threatening, but with him bound to the chair and so obviously at their mercy, she didn't appear fazed. Yet, she complied to his request.

"Outside the cave, still in the net," she said, trying to earn his cooperation. "It put up a good fight. After we dragged you away from your beast it continued spewing purple fire into the air. We gave it a quick bite of a Cyrodilic Spadetail and it put it to sleep like a baby," she kept her voice calm as Hiccup grew more and more defensive and eager to escape. "But don't worry, it will be fine. For now."

To Hiccup, that sounded like a threat. He struggled more against the bindings with the same outcome. He hung his head again in defeat.

"Let me go, I am heir to a tribe that resides on the Northern island of Berk. I am a weary traveler looking for a woman." He looked up into their faces, but again neither were fazed. He grew more frustrated.

"I frankly don't care. What I want to know, young man, is how you became a dragon priest in training, and why," she said. Her tone became much more biting, as if she was losing her patience with the situation as well.

"A what?" But before he could continue, he was cut off.

"How did _you_ begin a new rise of the dragons? Who are you working for? The Thalmor? I swear, boy, I will cut you to pieces," she threatened. She let rage slip onto her face, and got closer to Hiccup with the dagger. "I am simply a charming inn-keeper, but if you do not tell me what I want to know, the Grandmaster of the Blades will come out of me, and I promise you, she will ship out on the next wagon to the Helgen executioner."

Hiccup pushed his face into hers. "I am not who you think I am, lady! I have no idea where I am or who you are," he held his gaze with hers, not wanting to show her his fear. He shook in terror, hoping she would think it was the freezing water. She scooted away with a grin, picking up the fear that shone like lava in Hiccup's eyes. She could also see them glassed over with truth; nothing was giving her signs that he was lying.

"My boy, my name is Delphine, Grandmaster of the Blades. We are ancient dragon hunters, and have been called into action once more due to the sudden rise of dragons," she spoke. She began to pace in front of the captive, his eyes following her every move. He still looked confused, so she got broader in her explanation. "You are in the Province of Skyrim, in the woods outside of a large city known as Whiterun. I live in a city nearby, and was hoping to get lucky and gain some knowledge of dragon reemergence. To my surprise I find one of the creatures. The even bigger surprise is the young boy I find riding it with a saddle." She drilled her eyes into his head, but he didn't move. He spoke up, suddenly taking offence that his Night Fury was being called an "it."

"_He_ has a name. And he is my best friend, so don't you dare hurt him." It had been so long since he had to defend Toothless from anything. His love for his dragon reemerged, pushing his blood hotter and faster in his veins. He remembered when his father had accused him of putting his village in danger, and all he could say was that Toothless was protecting him. He clenched his fists. "Like I said, I don't know anything about this place or your dragon problems. If anything, I can help you train them. In Berk, they were always misunderstood, and we killed them for it. You don't realize they can be tamed, and they aren't dangerous," he argued. He might as well make himself seem useful. The last thing he wanted was to die here; die here without finding Astrid.

Delphine shifted uncomfortably, as if taken back by this statement. The man behind her paled, and finally spoke up. "Words of a dragon priest. Delphine, he should be killed."

His argument did not work the way he intended. "I don't even know what that is, I swear to you. My name is Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III of Berk, my father is Stoik the Vast, I am here looking for the love of my life. She went missing 4 years ago, please, let me go, I must find her," he almost pleaded. He was done playing games with these people.

Delphine spoke up. "As much as I'd like to oblige that charming reason to let you go, I can't. If you are working for the Thalmor, you are too much of a threat to our operation."

Hiccup struggled, losing hope.

"And we're not getting anything else out of you, are we?" She got close to his face again.

Hiccup was panting, eyes wide. "There is nothing to tell."

Something glazed over in Delphine's eyes. "You are hard as stone. Out of curiosity, who is this woman you claim to be looking for around these parts?" she questioned.

Hiccup was hesitant, but felt no harm in telling this woman who he was looking for. He sighed. "A woman my age, 21. Blonde hair, brilliant blue eyes. A fighter. Astrid Hofferson. She went missing years ago, I've spent all that time trying to find her." He left out the part where she had disappeared with a dragon, hoping to keep the pair as disinterested with her as possible. That didn't stop a flash from appearing in Delphine's eyes. She quickly smiled, trying to cover it up. "Pity. I don't know that name."

Hiccup's heart sunk, but he didn't miss the spark that appeared in her eyes when he mentioned Astrid's name. He held onto the idea that she knew her with all of his might. As quick as a flash, she sliced his lower left arm with her dagger. Suddenly, Hiccup felt himself losing consciousness. Blackness lined his vision, and he was soon seeing the man in front of him who had splashed him with water, in doubles. He heard the woman speak, as if distant.

"Paralysis poison. He'll be out soon. Esbern, kill the dragon after you collect as much information as you can from it. As for our Hiccup here, he is going to Helgen." Her voice slowly faded. He lost his grip on reality after he saw the man draw a sword and run to the opening of the cave. The blackness continued spreading. He was going to die, as was his beloved dragon, and there was nothing he could do. To top it all off, not a Viking knew where in Odin's name he was.


	3. Chapter 3: Judgement

Chapter 3: Judgment

Hiccup slowly gained his consciousness again. He saw trees and blindly heard the voices of men. He feel queasy deep in his stomach and a dizziness that was almost painful in his head. He tilted his head forward, eyes rolling, to see that his hands were once again in binds. This time, thick wool rope wound his hands together in front of him. He looked around, head bobbing. From what he could see, he was in a wagon surrounded by other men, all in the same condition, all with bound hands. The wagon was moving slowly but steadily down a stone path towards the gate of a town. They stared at him.

Still only half awake, he mumbled. "Astrid…my love, please…Astrid," he spoke. He bobbed his head again. The others paled slightly, and stared at him more intently, wondering when he was going to fully wake up. The men had never seen someone like Hiccup; he was thin but incredibly tall for person they considered hardly a man at all. He was nothing of a Nord or Redgaurd. He was somewhat muscular and rugged, and obviously had a lot on his mind.

Hiccup began to see the world clearly, and turned to face the other men. In a groggy tone, he spoke. "Where am I? Who are you?"

"Hey, you. Finally awake?," a large blonde man in armor across from Hiccup started. "You were the one who crossed the border, right? Walked right into that Imperial ambush," he spoke with a civil yet dark tone.

Hiccup had no idea what he meant by Imperials. He had been shot down by what he thought were the Blades. Maybe it was the Imperials? He didn't know. Everything was so confusing. He had come across other tribes in his many travels and found many lands, but nothing like this; nothing with people like this. The memory of the previous night had grown hazy, as all he remembered were the dreams he continued to have about Astrid. That was when something came to him suddenly, hit him in the heart, and ricocheted around in his chest. His Toothless had been killed. He stiffened and fought back the tears and anger. Not trusting his voice, he remained quiet.

He looked down at his clothes. His handcrafted armor was still on him, but dry now, so he knew he had been out for a while. It would take a hell of a long time to dry in a place so bitter cold. Before he could gather his thoughts, the man continued.

"Same as us, and that thief over there," he said in a sharply and in an accusatory manor.

Hiccup turned to his right to view a huge man, with darker features than the blonde one who initially addressed him. He was in rags as opposed to the blonde man's bluish armor, but his hands were bound together in front of him as well. He turned his head to face the man in front of Hiccup.

"Damn you, Stormcloaks. Skyrim was fine until you came along. The empire was nice and lazy. If they hadn't been looking for you, I would have stolen that horse and been half way to Hammerfell," he accused. Suddenly he turned. "You there," he addressed Hiccup.

The Viking was hoping to stay out of this argument, so looked down at the floor of the wagon as the man tried to get his attention. He could feel all of the men's eyes on him, wondering exactly who's side he was on with his dragon-riding armor on display. Obviously, none of them knew that the intent of all the hooks and leather bands were to keep him on a dragon, but his unique outfit captured their attention none the less. Though none were eager to admit it or ask, they were all curious as to how he had lost his foot. His cheeks were burning, feeling their dagger eyes, and on an impulse, looked up into the dark-featured man's face. The man's eyes were desperate and frightened, despite his attempt to pin his capture on the other prisoners. He looked into Hiccup's soul and dug deep in him, hoping he would come to his defense.

"You and me, we shouldn't be here. It's the Stormcloaks the empire wants," he said. He pleaded his side, still wanting to deny that his capture was his own fault.

"We're all brothers and sister in binds now, thief," the blonde man quipped.

Hiccup could see the signs that there was a war going on. The Imperials, the Stormcloaks, the heated anger, it was all there. He had seen this before, when the Vikings raged war on the dragons. He saw the same hateful fire burning in red flames visible both men's eyes. He saw the man's eyes flick to someone to his right Hiccup hadn't noticed before, and it scared the shit out of him.

He was sitting next to a woman, just not a human woman. She had peachy olive flesh although covered in filth and dark brown hair that hung to her shoulders. A small braid wound up the loose ends of her hair, and pulled it to the back. She had a small mouth, but full lips. She had a skinny frame but large breasts, and something about her fascinated Hiccup. It wasn't her looks at first, but her eyes. The woman had flaming red eyes, slanted upward in the most alluring way, and it felt as though he was staring at the devil. They were dark and deep, filled with hate and burning with fury. She had long ears that came to a point above the hair that was tucked behind them. She was staring at the floor of the wagon, pretending to be oblivious to the stares she was getting from the Viking. She ignored him, and turned her gaze to the forest and slightly to the right, so the boy could no longer study her eyes. She was in no place to be judged or stared at for being Bosmer, it was just something she couldn't take anymore. The young elf knew she was the center of attention as far as being made fun of in this land ruled by Nords. She was a minority, and this weirdo staring into her soul was no different from all of the others she'd come across in her travels. She clenched her fists in the binds and gritted her teeth, hoping everyone would take the hint and leave her alone.

Hiccup took a sharp breath inward the second she moved. It was instinct, as it usually meant a punch from Astrid, or his father, but that wasn't the thing on his mind. Besides, her hands were bound, something he had to admit, at times, he liked. Astrid had never been one to be tied up, especially by a man. She hated voluntarily giving up her power, and not being the toughest one in the room. Hiccup never had a problem with it. Her individuality made him love her even more, but it wasn't until he saw the woman next to him that he began to doubt Astrid's perfection. He was frightened that he was beginning to find things wrong with his memories of her. Everything had been so perfect, and he knew his love was eternal. That was why he was sitting in a prison wagon rolling to his doom. Right?

He knew she could feel his gaze, but he could not tear his eyes away from her. She was absolutely beautiful; stunning in her own way. When he could no longer see her eyes, he studied her other aspects, eyes involuntarily taking in her figure with hunger. It had been years since he had been so amazed by a girl; it had been so long since he felt that blood rushing sensation. He stared at her a moment longer, before he forced his eyes shut and turned reluctantly away. Memories of Astrid flashed into his mind, and it was a relief to see the familiar angelic face looking down at him, smiling, and bouncing candle light off of her flawless skin. He thought about the first time she spent the night with him. She had snuck in his bedroom window, much to his surprise, and instantly snuggled into his bed as if she lived there with him. Every second of that night was absolute perfection and he wouldn't change a second. He tried to remember the feel of her warm skin on his as he fought back the biting winds of this strange and unknown land. He thought about it every day, hoping her would never forget, and thus far, he hadn't missed even one detail. He recalled the way she laughed, told him she loved her, and the strange warm feeling he got from seeing her icy blue eyes drill into his. Suddenly, his memory was altered and her eyes changed from a calm blue to a fiery red filled with passion, and the color already seemed more than familiar to him. Quickly, he opened his eyes with a quiet gasp, trying to fill his eyes with reality to escape his own memories. He took a calming breath as he leaned back in his uncomfortable seat on the wagon bench, still attempting to avoid being included in the argument. He ignored the man completely, buried in his own fears without a voice to say anything otherwise. He suddenly felt the urge to run away. From everything.


	4. Chapter 4: Cora and a Town Called Helgen

Chapter 4: Cora and a Town Called Helgen

Cora felt herself relax the second the young boy had turned his eyes away. She could feel them linger, and could almost hear the words in his head telling him that she was a freak. An outcast. Worthless. Again, she closed her eyes before she could see his face.

It had been 4 years since her father had been killed, when she was 17. They were out in the woods of Valenwood, finding the perfect place for target practice. She had remembered being so happy she was finally being allowed to accompany her father on a hunting trip. He had been a master with a bow, and promised to take her hunting as soon as she became proficient as well. From then on, she was determined. She would wake up before everyone else just to practice. She spent years shooting nothing but trees and make shift targets. From the time she could hold a bow, she was firing arrows, and her father had never been more proud of his daughter. They were close, would tell each other everything, and he always defended her when her mother decided to use her as a punching bag. He was her everything.

She had known the area they were traveling in well. She had grown up under the walking trees, and it was her home. She followed close behind her father, enjoying the feel of free running through the woods with her bow slung on her back. Her breath came quickly and she felt her heart racing to keep up with her father. With all of her life she wished she was just a little bit faster in that moment, or had hugged her father at that moment. Before Cora could think, the sickening sound of metal and wood hitting flesh filled her ears. An arrow had come out of the forest and hit her father in the chest. He was thrown backwards, and all she remembered was her screams, her blinding tears, and the disappearance of a man in the bushes. As she held her father's head in her lap as he took his last few breaths, a man dressed in red and black was gone. From that moment on, Cora felt the drive to avenge her father's death, and take down the man who had the soullessness to murder him in cold blood in front of his daughter, with no questions asked.

She felt her stomach lurch as the wagon went over another bump in the stone road. By the divines, she hated Skyrim. Only when Valenwood reminded her of her father so much to where she ached everywhere, and when her mother had just become too much, had she left the region. She traveled far north, through Cyrodil and into the province of ice-cold Skyrim. She had hoped that there she would discover what the significance of the colors red and black in the context of her father's murder. She had been caught lock picking her way into a room in Dragons Reach, in Whiterun, trying to uncover more information as to why her father was executed. All she had learned was that a man traveled all the way from Skyrim to kill him, and she was determined to find out why. She had had her run with the law, but this time, she was sure it would end her. She always ended up in prison, and she was used to it, but never on a three hour wagon ride to an unknown destination. She sighed and turned her head slightly.

Her eyes drifted to the Viking sitting to her left. His head was leaned back against the wagon's edge and his eyes were closed, deep in thought. His hands fell limply in front of him in binds, his weak wrists reddening in response to the rope. His long legs were stretched out straight in front of him, and she couldn't help but wonder why one of his feet were replaced by curved metal, wondering about the same thing as the other men. Burying her curiosity, she snarled. He had just took her in as others always had; like an outcast.

Something, however, kept her from turning away. Her eyes drifted up his thin legs, to his flat stomach, his toned chest, finally landing on his face. His body still had hints of boyhood, but his face was that of a man. He had a roundish face but with a hard square jaw. His nose was perfectly shaped, at least to her, and his eye brows were thick and furrowed together. Chestnut stubble lined his chin and went up the side of his face, further proving he was far from young. His hair was unkempt, but still gorgeous, as it hung over his eyes in straight but full locks in the most handsome dark brown color. After his looks had captivated her, urging her to more openly stare, she noticed something she hadn't before. He was pale and almost green, and purple bags lined his eyes as if he hadn't slept well in days. He seemed to have a lot on his mind, and was obviously in some sort of pain, be it physical or emotional. Her heart hung heavy in her chest for this man whose name she didn't even know. She resisted the urge to caress his face and bring light back into his cheeks. She began hoping he was staring out of captivation, and not out of discrimination. Blood pushed hot in her veins at the thought, fighting the cold that surrounded her. Her head fizzled, making her see colors and lights. This man was making her dizzy, and she had never felt that before.

She had had a crush on a young boy back home. He was her friend. He was someone she wouldn't mind curling up to him by the fire to cry about her father's death, and she swore she was in love with him. He had made her heart sing and made her smile. This was not what she felt for this man. Not at all. Her toes and fingers curled, her cheeks burned in the frost, and her breathing was jagged. She was not one to fall head over heels with one look, yet, here she was, flustered and bothered like she was a teenager.

The man's eyes flew open, and she took a split second to admire his bright emerald irises before forcing her eyes back onto the ground so he couldn't catch her staring but suddenly, something registered. She took a small glance back at his armor and noticed something she hadn't before. His chest plate was black, but his shin guards and bracers were a dark crimson red. Her eyes widened. She resisted the urge to tackle him to the ground right there and risk get herself in even more trouble, but it was a fight. Hiccup glanced in her direction, and this time, she wasn't afraid to meet his gaze. His green eyes stared into hers, but the fiery hate in hers overcame their cool color and soon burned the Viking from the inside out. His cheeks sizzled as her eyes continued to hold his gaze, packed with pent up anger, betrayal, love, and fury. She clenched her fists until her knuckles were ghostly white and her mouth hardened into a firm line, murder in her eyes. Hiccup's mouth began to open as if to say something to calm her nerves, but was cut off as they reached a wooden gate.

"General Tullius, Sir! The headsman is waiting, let's get this over with!" shouted a guard. He was controlling the wagon lead by horses, leading to the prisoner's doom.

Cora turned to her right. She had recognized the man next to her as Ulfric Stormcloak, the Jarl of Windhelm and the leader of the rebellion. She knew that wherever she was, someone was going to make an attempt on her life. She smirked devilishly. She was used to people trying to kill her. She didn't panic, and it was nothing new.

She had never been one for wars; they always seemed silly and useless. Everyone wants political points, and pay no attention the men laying down their lives on the battle field to earn them. Even though she had no formal opinion on the war, she thought it stupid to rain fire down on a peaceful empire, but then again, no one gave a native of Valenwood a second thought. She felt the Jarl staring at her, gagged and tied on the back of the wagon. Oh, what men could do to each other.

Hiccup heard the dark haired man to the left of the blonde praying to different Gods to help save his life. He was obviously panicking and in no mood to die. He wasn't either, yet he came to realize he had nothing much left to live for. Odin could not rip anything else away from him, so the last thing he was going to do was pray. He held onto his memories, for it was probably the last time he could ponder over them. His memories made this broken man whole, and even he knew he was a shadow. His past was all he had left.

They rolled into a small town that reminded him of Berk. It had smaller buildings with less wooden dragon heads everywhere, but with the same general style. He vaguely heard the blonde man talking about the town, but he was too busy taking in the sights, knowing it would be the last thing he would see. He heard him mention something about elves, and the woman next to him tightened against her bindings. Her entire body tensed, and out of his peripheral vision he saw her shoot the man with the daggers in her eyes.

The town had a combination of wooden and stone buildings, surrounded on all sides by snow covered mountains. Clouds hung low, and in some places covered the peaks of the jagged rock. Sparse evergreen trees lined the hillside and reminded Hiccup of home. He would miss it on Berk, and more than anything he was hoping his father wouldn't take it too hard.

They continued rolling on the road in silence before the blonde man spoke up again. "This is Helgen. I used to be sweet on a girl from here," he spoke in a depressed tone. His eyes briefly darted to Hiccup, as if he could see the love he carried spewing out of his skin. Almost before Hiccup could register his gaze, he turned away. "I wonder if Vilad is still making that mead with Juniper berries mixed in." He scoffed. "Funny. When I was a boy, Imperial walls and towers used to make me feel so safe." He quickly silenced, obviously lost in thought about his past. That seemed to be what all the prisoners were doing.

They continued to roll in silence as civilians ushered their kids inside their house to safety, despite their naive desire to watch the Imperial soldiers. They stared at Hiccup and the elf next to him; the odd ones in the back of the wagon and took one more curious glace before they were physically pushed indoors. The adults never looked back at the doomed individuals.

The wagon lurched to a stop. Hiccup took in the large stone tower in front of him, flanked on both sides by black flags with the red crude outline of a dragon on it. He saw a large hooded man standing by a bloodied chopping block carrying a large ax, viewing the group with speculation. The Viking swallowed hard. Death was literally staring him in the face. The dark man began to panic again.

"Why are we stopping?" he said in a rushed tone.

The blonde man replied to him calmly but sorrowfully. "Why do you think? End of the line."


	5. Chapter 5: Staring Death in the Face

The wagon slowly came to a stop and Hiccup immediately tensed. It had sunk in on the ride here knowing that Delphine had sent him to his death, and that he was to be executed, only now did he really let it sink in that he was going to be killed. The hairs on his head stood on end and he felt his stomach lurch up and rise into his throat. He held back vomiting in the wagon as the blonde man looked at him with hallow eyes and spoke.

"Let's go; shouldn't keep the guards waiting for us." He spoke in such a dark but stable tone and Hiccup wondered if this man had a human soul at all. Judging by the man's simple armor, he guessed he was a soldier. He had never been a solider, so he was never able to build up a resilience to fear. He had battled and defeated the Red Death, but he was so afraid of dying when he was younger. Not so much now, speaking that he had nothing left to live for in his life, but it still made him shake. No human should enjoy walking to their own demise, but this man seemed to talk about his death in the same tone he would order a drink. The bravery in which this man faced his death was admirable. He wished he was more like him, but at the same time, he wanted to keep his humanity intact and his head on his shoulders.

The elf next to him barely twitched when the wagon stopped, but he could tell her body was acutely aware to the situation. She knew, just like Hiccup did, that she was face-to-face with her own death. She slowly stood up to exit the wagon, head held high. She was not going to be a coward in her last moments of life. Even though her natural instincts told her to be afraid, she fought it, knowing her father was watching her every move. The last thing she wanted was to feel that she was scared to visit him in the plains of Oblivion.

Hiccup stood up, trying to remain balanced. His head was spinning, and it didn't help that he had a piece of metal as a left foot, but somehow he kept up the strength to keep stable. He began to walk towards the back of the wagon when he heard the dark man again. "No! We're not rebels!"

Again, the blonde man in blue responded from behind Hiccup. "Face your death with some courage, thief."

It was enough for Hiccup to eat his pleas for freedom. The man was so cold, so dark, and so focused on an honorable death. He didn't want the man judging him a coward as well, so he kept his mouth shut. His mind ran on endlessly, hoping that Toothless was alive and looking for him, regretting that he had never found Astrid, and wondering just how many more breaths he would get on Earth.

The man continued, oblivious to the blonde man's comment. "You got to tell them. We weren't with you. This is a mistake!"

Hiccup almost rolled his eyes. He was afraid but this man was pathetic. He was more than willing to trade his balls for his life, something none of the other prisoners were willing to do. They were scared to their core and their heads were spinning with horror, but none of them wanted to admit it. Hiccup eyed the woman getting out of the wagon in front of him who seemed to be in a better state than him. Her figure was absolutely beautiful, but he so greatly admired her courage and strength to face her death better than any man. She stepped gracefully down and away from the carriage

Standing towards the back end of the wagon and finally jumping to the hard ground with a sway, Hiccup saw a woman dressed in brilliant silver armor. Her chest plate was a polished chrome with attached metal shoulder plates. Her bracers were metal as well, bound to her arm by leather. Her skirt was plated with a combination of silver plates, leather pieces, and red fabric. Her heavy metal boots guarded her shins and feet, as a large metal sword with an intricate handle was strapped to her waist. A shining helmet was formed to her head with metal curves gently framing her face. She had a stern look on her face, as if she saw the death of hundreds.

Her eyes were soulless, digging into the prisoners as if they were nothing more than pieces of meat at the butcher. A man stood to her left with similar armor, only with no metal plating. He wore simple leather and red fabric armor and carried a book and a quill. It was obvious to Hiccup who was in charge.

"Step towards the block when we call your name. One at a time!" Her voice bellowed in the empty streets. She was not one to be trifled with, or questioned.

The blonde man hopped out of the wagon behind Hiccup. "The empire loves their damn lists," he quipped, almost to himself. He had disapproval in his voice, almost as if he challenge the empire's entire way of life and doing things.

The man looked down at the ledger in his hand and began reading off names. "Ulfric Stormcloak, Jarl of Windhelm."

The large man who was gagged and the first one out of the wagon stepped away from the line and towards the soldiers gathering by the chopping block.

"It has been an honor serving you, Jarl," the blonde man said. In the entire wagon ride, this was the first time Hiccup had heard the man with sorrow dripping in his voice. He was saddened by the death of his leader, but not for the loss of his own life. Hiccup thought it incredibly selfless and courageous, and he felt more of a coward for being afraid.

He thought of Astrid again in his mind. Relief flushed through him when he thought of her face and her smile. He was about to be killed trying to find her, and he tried to convince himself that he was dying a hero to honor the woman that he loved. He might even see her in Valhalla, if worst came to worst. He smiled slightly to himself. Even though part of him still wished she was alive, he didn't want to be alone in his afterlife. He knew his mother would be there to comfort him, making him somewhat comfortable in his eminent demise. He closed his eyes for a moment, savoring the faces of the people he loved.

The bookkeeper's voice cut off his thoughts. "Ralof of Riverwood," he spoke.

The blonde man from behind Hiccup stepped forward with no falter in his step. Shooting one last look at his enemy, he walked to join his leader in line for execution.

The man continued, unfazed by the hate directed towards him by the doomed soldier. "Lokir of Rorikstead." After reading the name, he looked up into the eyes of a panicking man.

He quickly tried to defend himself in a final plea for help. "No! I'm not a rebel! You can't do this!" Without another word, he bolted past the commander and up the stone road, hoping to escape. He had found no other way out, so decided to risk it.

"Halt!" The commander yelled, all the while standing her ground.

"You're not going to kill me!" The thief yelled without turning around. He seemed so sure of his escape.

"Archers!" she yelled.

A man nocked an arrow and quickly let it fly straight into the man's back with no remorse. With a painful groan, he fell to the ground. His speed made him tumble forward in the most grotesque way, limbs sprawling, and blood seeping from his wound. In response, the man simply lowered his bow and continued to stand at attention.

Cora gritted her teeth. Even though the man had it coming, it reminded her too much of her father's death for her liking. She took a deep breath, hoping to keep her tears inside of her eyes and the gurgling of blood in her father's mouth out of her ears. She looked away from the dead man, lying on the ground and looked behind her for a quick look at the man with one foot.

He was visibly paler with a hint of horror in his eyes. She saw him place a palm against his stomach in his binds, probably to keep his last meal in him. His face proved that he had never been so close to a murder. She felt bad for the man; so innocent in this world of corruption, pain, and hate.

At the same time, she smirked. She prided herself on being stronger than a man, any man. She was never one for being a house wife. She wanted adventure, thrill, and weaponry. Her father had always supported her while her mother shot her down, wanting a proper lady in the house. It was possibly the thing that tore them apart. She was not going to pretend to be something he wasn't for anyone, not even her own mother. It was her life and her path to choose. Her mother had told Cora when she left Valenwood that she could not handle the rest of the world. Even though she was about to be executed and in ropes, she had more strength to handle a murder than the man standing behind her.

The commander turned to the group again, putting the dead man behind her. "Anyone else feel like running?"

The question was supposed to induce fear and be rhetorical, but it wasn't getting to Cora. The Viking, maybe, but not the woman determined to live like a man.

Suddenly, the man with the book looked at the two and spoke up. "Wait. You two. Step forward."

Reluctantly, the elf stepped forward, followed closely by the Viking. Hiccup put the woman between the captain and himself, peering over her shoulder to look. The man checked the book once more, then seemed confused. "Who," he paused, "are you?"

Cora, who was previously staring at the ground, looked up to flash the man with her blood red eyes. He took one step back in response. She also pushed back her hair to expose her pointed ears, keeping eye contact with the man. This display was obviously her answer and she stared at the dumb-witted man to await his response. "Well," he started, "You are a long way from Valenwood. What are you doing in Skyrim?"

She looked at him and forced a false smile. "Petty thieving." She cocked her head and broadened her smile. All the while, her eyes sliced the man to pieces. He cleared his throat and stared back at his book.

Hiccup had only heard her speak two words, yet was completely obsessed with the sultry sound of her voice. The sound was smooth, but rode on a tone of nails, making her that much sexier. She had the voice of an angel but used it in such a way that it put her enemies in line. She was so unbelievable strong, but Hiccup knew that inside, she was struggling to maintain composure.

The man turned towards Hiccup, peaking over the shoulder of the intimidating woman. Hiccup stood up straighter as the man eyed him with curiosity. "And you?"

Hiccup had no idea where to start or what story these people would most favor. "My name is Hiccup Horrendous Haddok the Third, heir to the tribe of Hairy Hooligans on the northern island of Berk. I was captured as I was entering this province. Skyrim, as you called it."

Cora giggled. Hiccup with the stupidest name she'd ever heard in her life. All of these sexy names she'd heard; Talas, Lias, Cogan, hell, even Sven, and the most gorgeous man she's ever seen is named after an involuntary contraction of the diaphragm.

Hiccup ignored the remarks, as he was used to doing, and continued with his story. "Someone captured me and questioned me before sending me here, I guess."

He was so shy and unsure of himself that Cora almost felt bad for him. He could hear him trying to be strong, but he was a bad liar and bad at hiding his pain, which was strange for a man next in line to rule. How could a man like him possibly lead anyone?

Somehow, his hesitance made him even more attractive. She rolled her eyes and sighed deeply. She was about to die and was eying up another prisoners? She should be ashamed. Love always needed to make sense to her, and this didn't.

The man with the book didn't hear one word of his story, not that he cared. Asking for his story was purely formality. He turned it over to the commander like it was not his problem. "Captain," he addressed her, "What should we do? They're not on the list."

The eyes of the two prisoners drifted miserably to the captain who met their gaze with a stare that consumed their souls and fed them to the devil.

"Forget the list. They go to the block," she replied.

"By your orders, Captain," he replied. "I'm sorry. We'll make sure your remains are returned to Valenwood, and Berk." He was genuine in his response, but it sadly seemed routine. "Follow the captain, prisoner."

Both of their hearts sank. The elf turned backwards with a sorrowful face, meant only for the eyes of the Viking behind her who would be sure to understand her look. He met her desperate eyes and pleaded. She dropped her gaze in defeat, but raised her head again, took a deep breath and followed the captain towards the block. Hiccup slunk miserably behind her, feeling the eyes of the two officers as he walked.

As they walked closer to the block, a man with similar armor to the woman came into view. His plating was gold, and he lacked a helmet. Something about him made every person know there that he was the man who called all of the shots. He glanced briefly at the approaching prisoners before focusing his attention back to Ulfric Stormcloak, hands still roped together with a gag in his mouth.

"Ulfric Stomcloak," the man began. He had a shallow voice, but seemed satisfied with this capture, almost like he had been waiting forever to finally have this man in binds. "Some here in Helgen call you a hero, but a hero doesn't use a power like the Voice to murder his king and usurp his throne." The general paused as if for dramatic effect and to gather his thoughts. His motives were purely political, but a hint of emotion began to rise into his throat. "You started this war; plunged Skyrim into chaos, and now the empire is going to put you down, and restore the peace!"

Cora seemed to know exactly who he was, but ignorant Hiccup took careful mental notes on the situation. This was beginning to make more and more sense.

Suddenly there was a bellowing sound that pierced through the air. All of the men, prisoners and generals alike, looked into the air with both fear and confusion in their eyes. Even Cora angled her head skyward, squinting her eyes against the sun. She listened hard and tried to remember the noise. Even though everyone was too afraid to admit it, it had sounded like a dragon.

Hiccup froze, and his eyes widened. His heart rose up into his throat and he felt it pounding with renewed vigor. He knew that screech. He knew that sound almost as well as he knew the back of his own hand. As the crowd murmured in curiosity, the Viking smiled slightly to himself. That meant his best friend was still alive, and looking for him.


	6. Chapter 6: Dragon Attack

"What was that?" a prisoner from behind Hiccup asked.

Everyone lowered their heads and looked at the general, hoping to hear some kind of explanation for the ear-shattering sound. Even Cora was interested in his response.

Hiccup boiled deep inside. He was conflicted, knowing that Toothless would surely be killed if he showed himself, but he wanted to be saved Again.

The general crossed his arms and spoke up. "It's nothing." He seemed hesitant and worried himself, as he should be. Toothless was a tame dragon, but he was not afraid to take lives to keep Hiccup safe. "Carry on."

With one last look and scowl at the gagged Jarl, he put his back to him. As the man turned away and walked towards the stone tower past the woman captain, she saluted him. "Yes, General Tullius!" She turned to face a woman who was dressed in yellowish robes near the bloodied chopping block. "Give them their last rights," she snarled. She spoke in a tone to reveal that she didn't want these prisoners to have any sort of last religious rights. To her, it must have also been routine.

Closing her eyes, the woman raised her arms above her head, tilting her head into the sky as she began to chant. "As we commend your souls to Aetherius," she began, "blessings of the eight divines upon you-" She was suddenly cut short by a prisoner behind Cora.

"For the love of Talos, shut up, and let's get this over with," he hissed.

Hiccup tensed his shoulders in response to the man's evil voice. He tightened his jaw, praying that Toothless save him soon. He was banking on the preaching of this woman to buy him some time, but this man was not too keen on letting them live a moment longer.

As expected, Cora didn't twitch. Either she genuinely did not care that she was about to die, or was a master at hiding it. It seemed as though someone was breathing down her neck, telling her not to be afraid. Hiccup wished Astrid were here to tell him that, because he was starting to shake.

The man stepped forward, obviously not wanting to draw out his death any further than it needed to be. He bravely approached the block and stared at the woman. He wore the same bluish armor as the blonde man in the wagon with Hiccup and was just a strongly built. He knew he was a soldier, so he connected as to why he was acting so brave. He didn't want to seem a coward in front of his leader.

Seeming offended, the woman lowered her arms and stared at the man a moment before saying a simple "As you wish," with a tone that could put down a horse.

Hiccup held his breath. Was he about to see a man decapitated? He took a quick glance at the dead man on the road, knowing that his death was much less bloody. He had almost lost it there, so he knew full well he could not manage this. He decided he would close his eyes.

He took a quick glance at Cora, who was standing to his right. She was a few inches taller than him, making her about 6 foot. She scowled down at the man by the block and squinted her eyes. He chose to look away, but she had chosen to pay close attention.

The man stood there for a moment longer, staring at the blood on the block. "Come on! I haven't got all morning!" he yelled. The religious woman walked away from the doomed man without taking a second look. The captain approached him and laid a tender hand on his back. Hiccup tilted his head. It was so out of character for her to be gentle.

With sadness in her eyes, she looked to the headsman and nodded before pushing the solider to his knees. It seemed as though no matter how much death she saw, it never got any easier for her to manage. At least Hiccup now knew she had humanity.

She put her big heavy boot into his back, forcing his head and neck onto the block, ready for the headsman's axe. His head was turned towards the huge man and, with his last words, he spoke. "My ancestors are smiling at me, Imperials," he said, but the man was already raising his axe. "Can you say the same?" He was far from desperate, and wanted his last moments to be taunting the enemy.

As the man raised the ax over his shoulder at it began to come down, Hiccup close his eyes and turned his head away. He heard the most stomach-curling sound of the ax lopping off the head of the soldier. A gasp went through the crowd. It sounded like a butcher's knife cutting through meat and bone, but knowing it was a man's neck was too much for the young Viking.

He fell to his knees and began coughing and dry heaving; tears beginning to form in his eyes. By Odin, what did he do to deserve this? He tightened his eyes shut, feeling the burning of bile in his throat, gasping for air.

"Stand up," spoke an angelic voice. The tone was soft, unhurried, and fit for a goddess. Hiccup opened his eyes, blurred from water. He turned his head to find himself staring into the elf's red eyes again. Her eyes bored into his, but contained a spark that suddenly had the Viking rising to his feet. When he stood straight again, she gave him a shy smile before turning away and back towards the block.

He felt his face flush and grow hot, and could see the hints of red in her face as well. She closed her eyes for a moment, then looked straight forward again, eyes lacking a spark once more and face ridded of red.

Hiccup broke his stare and looked back forward to see the man's bloodied head in a small wooden basket, and his headless body being rolled off the block, neck stump spewing blood like a river. The headsman was lowering his ax. He felt vomit rise in his throat again, but held it back by thinking of Astrid's face. His mind began thinking of Cora, but he didn't fight it, as it helped him from being sick.

"You Imperial bastards!" a woman yelled. She too had on blue armor and was in binds, waiting her turn to be killed.

"Justice!" a townsperson yelled in triumph.

Another woman responded with "Death to the Stormcloaks!"

The blonde man, Ralof, spoke up from next to Cora as he hung his head. "As fearless in death as he was in life." Hiccup thought the man may be crying, his voice was so shaky and saddened.

The captain cried out, heartless once more. "Next, the elf from Valenwood!"

Hiccup's heart jumped into his throat. Not Cora, anything but this. He felt the urge to rescue her from death, but he knew there was nothing he could do to save his angel.

Before anyone could response or usher her to the block, the scream of Toothless broke out across the land again, echoing in the mountains, this time, much closer. The people around the execution looked up again, just as dumbfounded. Hiccup looked up too, attempting a confused look to blend him into the crowd. His Night Fury seemed desperate and in fear, something he knew no one else could tell. It was a cry of distress, of anger, and of love.

_Hiccup, where are you…_

"There it is again. Did you hear that?" the bookkeeper said. He seemed concerned and almost fearful, something Hiccup never thought he'd hear out of this monotone man. His tone suggested he didn't want to be alone. He didn't want to be the only one hearing these horrible cries.

After a brief moment, the captain gave orders again. "I said: next prisoner." She was much more stern, making all of the men around her quake. She was not one to be messed with, or her orders ignored because of a bizarre shout.

The same man who held the ledger as asked for their stories stood at the head of the block. Hiccup had heard him ask about the dragon briefly, but the rest hadn't even noticed he was there; they were so focused on the execution itself. "To the block prisoner, nice and easy," he said, his voice almost cooing.

Hiccup saw Cora inhale deeply, then began her walk to her death, head held high. He was choking back tears, watching her give up so easily. He wished she would try and fight, and run away with him. With a few more steps, she was there. She glared at the captain when she tried to place her hand on her back, so she pulled her hand away, allowing the elf to willingly get to her knees. Her eyes were dulling as she put her neck in line with the headman's ax.

Hiccup couldn't watch, and began frantically looking for his dragon. There was no hope. The man was raising his ax. Cora was going to die. Tears spilled down the Viking's face. He had never felt so helpless.

Suddenly Toothless boomed again and Hiccup caught sight of him running down the side of the mountain towards the execution. He continued his howling as he ran through the city, jumping over rooftops and closing distance between him and his master.

"What in Oblivion is THAT?" an imperial solider yelled.

Hiccup stared back at the headsman who was still raising his ax. Everything was happening too fast.

"Sentries! What do you see?" the captain replied rather calmly.

Before anyone could answer her, Toothless jumped onto the short stone tower, teeth bared and eyes scanning the crowd.

"Dragon!" a woman yelled.

Hiccup heard the drawing of swords. It was time to move.

Before he could reach Cora, Toothless began shooting fireballs into the crowd, knocking many of the men to their feet and blowing up buildings in the town. Hiccup tripped and fell to the ground in the mayhem as archers began firing arrows.

Hiccup raised his hands above his head. "No! Stop! He won't hurt you!" Even though he was screaming at the top of his lungs, no one heard him. Deciding that his dragon could fight for himself, he stumbled his way to Cora, someone who needed him right then. She was getting up slowly, wobbling from being so close to the Night Fury's blasts.

He wrapped his arms around her possessively as another fireball collided with stone, shielding her from the spraying rubble. She fell into his arms as the shock wave from the blast hit the two. Looking up, he saw Toothless hop down from the tower and start scanning the ground for Hiccup.

"Over here, bud!" He yelled, still cradling Cora.

He looked down to meet her gaze as she lay helplessly in his arms. "Hiccup," she spoke, almost as if she was about to fall asleep. Her eyes started rolling as she struggled to keep awake.

"Don't worry, it'll all be ok," he said. He really hoped he was right.

"This way!" he heard Ralof yell. He was ushering for Hiccup to follow him into a standing stone tower. Shielding himself and Cora from falling debris and dragging her along next to him, he met the man in the doorway.

"Ralof, we're going to run south, let the dragon have its way with the town," he bluffed. "We will make our way out in the chaos, save yourself and don't worry about us."

The man gave him a strange look. "I hope you know what you're doing, young man. Take care of the wood elf girl. She has eyes for you. I have a sister, Gerdur, in Riverwood; owns a mill. If you need supplies, meet me there. Talos be with you." Without another look, he ran with his leader, Ulfric, up the stairs of the building. They were discussing something about legends, but that was all Hiccup managed to catch.

With the man gone and Cora now standing by herself, he turned back towards the burning village. Flames erupted from buildings surrounding the execution block, people were screaming and running through the streets praying for mercy, and his dragon bounded mercilessly to find him. He felt Cora's gaze, then turned to address her.

"You idiot," she began. "Why not save your skin and go with Ralof?" Her eyes continued their digging.

He signed. "I'll explain later, but you are welcome to follow him. I will be traveling to Riverwood for supplies."

She briefly looked back through the doorway before turning back. "I will go with you," she said, and smiled lightly.

Hiccup almost forgot about the yelling and the crumbling of burning buildings with just her smile. He stared at her, hoping to never forget the look on her face. Suddenly, Toothless was galloping down the road straight toward the Viking. They made eye contact, and Hiccup knew he was going to have one chance to escape. He quickly turned back to Cora.

"You sure you want to come with me?" he said, rushing to get her response.

Without hesitation, she answered. "Yes."

"Alright then. Follow me." He stepped away from the tower and into the open street.

Her back was to Toothless, but when she turned to see the dragon racing towards her, she screamed before defensively standing her ground. Hiccup raised his hands above his head directly in the path of the dragon. Cora thought he was surrendering, not knowing what was coming next. Her eyes darted back to the dragon, still running at full speed.

The dragon raced up to the Viking, and without breaking a stride, reared up, and slashed the bindings off Hiccup's hands with his right paw. The second he was released, Hiccup grabbed the leather saddle on the dragon and slung himself onto his back, grabbing the elf with his free hand and hauling her onto the dragon as well. He used to momentum of the moving animal to pull himself and Cora forward into place.

She fought as first, then clung to Hiccup with her legs as the dragon gained speed and raced further down the street and into the incoming soldiers. She saw him click his left foot into a pedal on the side of the smooth black dragon. Sensing this contact, the dragon lurched up into the air and over the soldiers.

Hiccup leaned forward to grab the front of the saddle as Toothless began to flap his massive wings and gain altitude over Helgen, just missing the soldier's swinging swords. They jumped up to try and slash at his underbelly, but Toothless was too quick.

Cora felt her entire body become weightless, then smack hard into the back of the dragon. Looking back, she saw the shrinking people and the burning town, all of them wondering what the hell had just happened.

She turned around slowly to look forward into the back of her savior's head. She clenched her legs tighter around his waist as they began to gain more altitude. She took a few deep breaths in the frigid air, hoping to rid her body of some adrenaline. Little did the people of Helgen know, she was wondering the same exact thing.


	7. Chapter 7: Flight

**Hey guys! New chapter, hope you enjoy, be sure to read and leave a review!**

Chapter 7: Flight

Cora sat there a moment longer completely still. She breathed deeply, attempting to make sense of the situation, or hoping that she would wake up from a dream. But every time she closed her eyes, she still opened them to 6,000 feet between her and the ground on the back of a dragon. The wind blew her hair back and away from her eyes, exposing their red irises to the world. It took a few minutes for the adrenaline to drain from their systems; a few minutes that were spent in silence. Hiccup had sliced her binds off with a dagger he had hidden in a small satchel in the saddle, but they had no other contact during the ride so far.

Now in a somewhat stable state of mind, Cora made a horrific realization that had her scooting away from the Viking. He looked back when he felt her thin body move away. She shook her head in disbelief, eyes wide. She tried to remain composed to prove exactly who she was to him, but her fear boiled up and surfaced to her cheeks in hot patches.

"That's why you were at the block," she sputtered. "You're…you're a freaking DRAGON RIDER!"

"Um, hey, wait…" he said with concern in his voice. He turned around to find Cora on the back few inches of the saddle, still attempting to scoot away. He reached behind him with his right hand, hoping she would take it and not fall off the dragon. The last thing he needed was to push his best friend into some crazy dive to catch her.

When she stared at him in further disbelief, he shook off this socially awkward response of his teenage self and his eyes became cold once again. "Fine, but don't fall off. I'm not catching you." He retracted his hand and looked forward. His voice no longer shook or needed comfort. This was the voice of a man who knew what he was doing, and what he wanted. If she didn't know any better, it was the voice of a tortured man missing something dearly. She could only wonder. He had shown a hint of someone new she hadn't seen before in the few hours she'd known him, and kept wondering as to why he kept such a caring response a secret.

He looked back at her one more time before attempting to explain himself. His look was short, lasting no longer than a few seconds, but Cora noticed a change in his eyes. Once filled with fear and innocence at the block, his eyes solidified into something horrible, and the deep green fury smothered the oxygen out of her lungs.

"This, elf, is-" He began in an accusatory tone.

She cut him off. "Cora."

He looked back again, eyes now scanning her like a nuisance. She looked away. He turned back to the nothingness again.

"Cora then. This, is Toothless. He is my best friend. I've been riding him and training him since I was 14. He is a Night Fury, a rare breed from the northern island Berk, where I am the heir to the tribe," he paused, gut twisting in pain as the thought of his next words entered his mind. He hesitated before sighing deeply. "I am looking for the love of my life, a girl my age. Tough, blonde hair, brilliant blue eyes, not one to take any crap from men." His throat became clogged with emotion, but he couldn't help but smile as he relived her repeatedly decking his cousin Snotlout. "Her name is Astrid Hofferson."

He turned to see the elf listening intently, but taking in the sights of flying. She was sitting with her rear end barely on the saddle, looking as if a small breeze was to hit from the wrong direction she would plummet to her death.

He sighed. "Come here," he said.

She met his gaze again. It didn't matter what she felt inside because now the elf was unreadable. Her eyes were hallow caves, red eyes pouring out darkness and misery. To Hiccup, she looked more alive on the block.

She stared at him a moment longer with distrust before coming closer, this time, snuggling against his back and wrapping her arms around his waist. She pushed her breasts between his shoulder blades and splayed her right hand across his firm chest. Whether he was some dangerous dragon tamer or not, he had saved her life, and she was undeniably attracted to him. She enjoyed the feeling of leather under her hands, and prayed that this man hadn't killed her father.

When she had first made the realization that he was wearing black and red leather, she immediately wanted to jam an arrow into his chest, no questions asked. She had killed in the past not just to defend herself, and was surprisingly okay with having the blood on her hands. She'd soon realized that he would have been too young to be the tall brooding man she saw in the forest 4 years ago, and, much to her satisfaction, was able to enjoy him just a little bit more.

She scooted forward more to press her entire body against him, then leaned her head down on his shoulder. He felt so warm and comfortable that she forgot the rest of the world around her, something that she didn't do very often. She closed her eyes to enjoy the moment, head spinning with reason that she kindly ignored. She was screwing with unbelievable danger, and she knew it, but she was kindly hoping that her brain would let it slide. For the moment. She could worry about that later. A smile even managed to twitch on her face.

Hiccup didn't budge, tensing rather than relaxing under her touch. The further they got away from Helgen, the more she just looked like any other woman rather than his saving angel. It had simply been lust, and the fear of being so close to death that had driven his eyes to her. Nothing more. The love of his life was still out there, and he'd be damned if he didn't continue his search.

He cleared his throat, sending Cora out of her daze. She didn't feel so good pressed to him, and he only wanted her there so she wouldn't fall off.

"I just wanted you to hold on for safety reasons. Please…" he paused, trying to pull her seductive hand off of his chest with finger and thumb. "I'd rather…" he trailed off, stumbling over his words like a teenager. Only then did she realize his arms were raised at an awkward angle to avoid contact with her hands. "Um…erm…"

The longer she took to let go, the more flustered he'd became. He didn't expect her to latch on with such sexual intent, trying to remember if he had told her about Astrid, the love of his life and his future wife. He was always so incredibly awkward around people, but more specifically girls. As he grew up, he tried to toss this motive for teasing out the door. Dating the most beautiful girl on Berk raised his self-confidence, and allowed him to become somewhat less of a Haddock-family embarrassment. But now this woman he had known a grand total of 4 hours was clinging to him like an abalone, and he didn't want anything more than to pry her off. She was not Astrid.

She got the hint loud and clear. With more force than possibly necessary, she pulled herself away from his form, finding it harder than she thought. She felt a deep pang in her chest when she saw him relax the second she let go. Her eyes glassed over again, full of hate and full of pain. This was why she always worked alone.

She also felt the dragon relax under her. Little did she know that Toothless had been lightly growling in warning the second he felt Hiccup tense under Cora's touch. The moment the Viking relaxed, the vibrating under her stopped. She had been so lost in his warmth that she forgot where she was and how freaking stupid she was.

She pushed herself back further once again, only holding onto straps in his armor so she could avoid contact with his skin. She was in Skyrim to find her father's killer. He was in Skyrim to find his girlfriend. They both had their reasons that didn't involve each other. She vowed that the second they landed in Riverwood, she would run away and never look ba-

Her thoughts were cut off as Toothless began plunging to the ground. Hiccup leaned forward to decrease his air resistance and keep his eyes on the fast approaching town. She recognized the place as Riverwood, and her heart sank when she knew she would have to walk away from this.

Her heart sank. Her heart SANK? What the hell was she thinking? This is a woman who single-handedly killed and buried 7 bandits in a camp just to see if they had more arrows for her bow. This is a woman who had only been sent to the block after taking 12 imperial soldiers down with her after breaking into a seemingly impenetrable archive. This was a woman who carried herself without a father. This was a woman who didn't need a man. The last thing she needed was this…person…to get to her heart.

Taking no heed to her spinning mind, the three landed with incredibly grace in the trees next to the town. Somehow, the people had missed seeing them, and the dragon could now hide without brining fear to them.

"Nice landing there, bud. That deserves some Icelandic cod, don't you think?" he spoke. He was so kind to his dragon, his voice full of love. Deep inside her, she wondered if he talked to Astrid like that. That thought burned her inside.

It had been a while since he had spoken to his dragon like that. He had become so hollow inside that it took near death to shake him awake in order to realize just how lucky he was to have an eternal best friend like Toothless. His head rang and his ear drums began to freeze in the air, but he petted the dragon's neck with undying love none the less. He needed to start saving Toothless' life more often, so far the dragon was winning two to one.

He unclicked his prosthetic from the dragon, freed his good foot from the right peddle, and hopped onto the ground. After a quick pat on his snout, the Viking turned around and held his hand out to Cora to help her off. She held her head high and smacked his hand away. He looked mildly hurt as she slid off of the dragon and hopped onto the ground. He expected her to stumble from the change in altitude, but she landed on the ground with a soft thud and walked past the Viking to stare out onto the town.

Hiccup looked after her and sighed. He never should have brought her with him and his dragon; it was a mistake. Her eyes just seemed harsh now, rather than the captivating irises he saw on the wagon ride over. Again, he was sure it was death speaking when he found her undeniably attractive. She was still pretty, but not as much as he saw at the block, not to put too fine a point on it. He never realized that she had so many battle scars, and couldn't help but wonder what exactly this prisoner was up to. He could have possibly let a mad serial killer know about him and his dragon. He sighed again, staring down at his left leg that abruptly became wood and metal; an epic battle scar that reminded him both of Toothless' love, but also his dad's idiocy. She would never understand the feeling of being a useless cripple.

Cora scoffed as she heard his exasperated sighs. He was simply her way out of Helgen, nothing more. Same as Hiccup, she was beginning to notice that he looked more ordinary every minute. His eyes no longer seemed so green and his hair was no longer so perfect; sticking up in random places that just made him look like a dork. However, unlike Hiccup, she refused to admit that being so close to death affected her in any way. It had DEFINITELY not made her hot and bothered over this boy who hasn't even filled out into a man quite yet. She had smirked of about the idea of death while she was sitting next to the gagged Jarl, but she couldn't lie to herself; she was scared to pieces with her neck on the block.

She quickly shook this off. She was a woman on a mission, in need of no help, and simply fighting to make her way. She knew in her heart that the Viking was judging her for being who she was. Cora never minded the looks of bewilderment when she stuck an arrow in someone's chest, but despised the ones that studied her ears and eyes. He would never understand the feeling of being different.

So lost in thought, she soon realized that the Viking's eyes were no longer on her. She turned around to find him sitting cross legged next to his dragon now lying beside him, completely wrapped up in a small piece of wrinkled and yellowing paper he had in his hands. He stared at the paper with such naked adoration it was sickening.

One hand laid on the head of his dragon, and the other grasped the picture. Cora soon found herself turning away from the village and back to the Viking, walking up behind him to see the pictures in his grasp. She put her hands on her hips and scowled down at him, Hiccup oblivious to her gaze.

The picture was a detailed charcoal drawing, somewhat smeared but still strikingly recognizable. His eyes hardened even more for every second he spent looking at the picture. The picture was of a woman. It was black and white on the paper but Cora could still tell that this woman was stunningly beautiful. It was just her face, drawn from the shoulders up, and the elf took in her beautifully braided hair that hung off to the side, her studded headband, and the spiked metal armor on her shoulders. But what struck the elf the most was her smile, and her eyes. Even in the old drawing, she could see the twinkle in her eyes and the brightness that was her smile. The Viking just gazed miserably into the drawing.

Cora scowled. He was pathetic. At least she didn't carry around a picture of her father to keep her company while she was rotting in jail. She'd rather harass her cell mate or brush up on her lock picking skills when no one was looking.

"That's Astrid, in case you were wondering," Hiccup sputtered. He hadn't looked up from the drawing and Cora hadn't thought he'd noticed her judging his obsession.

His tone was so cold and dark, and she began to wondering if this man and the boy who awkwardly pushed off her advances was indeed the same person. She took her arms off her hips and crossed them across her chest.

"I wasn't wondering," she quickly defended. She actually was but she would never admit that to him.

Hiccup sighed out of irritation rather than the deep breathy ones he had when thinking about the girl of his dreams. This frustrating woman-thing-whatever the hell she is was mucking everything up. He wanted her gone.

He folded the picture gently on the already worn folds and tucked it into his armor next to his heart before rising to his feet under the gaze of the judgmental elf. Standing up to face her, he felt his back crack and his stomach rumble. Once again, his leg was becoming too short as he continued to grow, even as he entered his 20's. Late starter, he guessed, at a whopping five foot nine. And he hadn't realized just how hungry until just then, and it registered that he hasn't eaten in days. He was used to the hunger, and going long days without food, but this was almost painful.

After quickly giving the elf a threatening once over, the Viking turned towards his dragon to access his flying gear. He needed something to do. Surprisingly, lmost all of the leather and metal parts were intact from the fall and capture, but Hiccup was pulled towards the tail portion of the contraption.

Toothless flopped his head down with a huff, and swung his tail in Hiccup's direction. With one examination, he discovered a small bend in the main metal frame of the tail portion itself, explaining the tugging to the left he felt during the flight. He exhaled audibly.

"Bent frame," he grumbled to himself. He shut his eyes tight in frustration and his stomach grumbled again. He needed food before he could think, and it was getting dark out, so he'd probably need a place to stay. Not to mention find Astrid. And get rid of Cora. Oh, and stop the world from freaking about his dragon attacking a city.

He slapped his hand against his forehead and groaned before adding his other hand to the top of his head and sliding them down in unison, pulling the skin on his face down with it. Toothless growled his disapproval in his rider's negative vibes, and quickly slapped Hiccup in the side of the head with his tail.

Hiccup was a great friend, companion, and rider, despite the past few months, but something about his pessimistic tendencies just drove the Night Fury nuts. He always had to find something wrong with new people, or think that the world will end because of a bent fin. The dragon huffed and rolled his eyes when Hiccup gave him that absolutely Hiccup glare that wasn't at all threatening. Toothless just made him think it was…most times. He had just saved him from decapitation, shouldn't he be a little appreciative?

The Viking grumbled to himself about what a useless reptile Toothless was as he crossed over to dig in the hidden satchel he had put into the side of the saddle. He touched the dagger at his hip to make sure he still had it after freeing Cora from her binds, and removed three small Safire gems from the sack. He stared at them for a moment in his hand. He knew he would have to barter for some food, and he only needed one to forge a wedding ring, right?

Before he could rethink his decision, he shoved them into his pocket. He needed to eat, and so did Toothless. For the first time in a while he was thinking about his needs over finding Astrid, which for him, felt strange…

He pushed the thought out of his mind. "Stay here while I go into town, okay Toothless? I'll get fish for you, just don't go scaring the bageezers out of anyone else." He narrowed his eyes in one last attempt to put his dragon into place. Obviously it wasn't working, because Toothless simply rolled his eyes again and slumped his head back down into the earth, ignoring his rider.

Hiccup turned around expecting to see that muddling elf again, but instead turned to an empty forest. He looked into the town, now basking in the twilight and the other tress, but the elf was nowhere to be seen. Without Cora's fiery eyes staring him down or trying to seduce him, Hiccup could now relax and find a way to Astrid, and home.

**Hmmm...I wonder where this adventure will take the two. Follow for upcoming chapters coming soon!**


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